billrider2013

After some days in Cooma, it was time to head to the coast.

My first stop was to be the very small own of Nimmitabel.

Strong Winds

I headed off along the Monaro Highway. It was good to be back in the saddle after of few months off the bike.

As I rode along the wind, which was already vert strong, got even stronger. This wasn’t a problem when it was directly behind me as it simply pushed be along. However, the road changed direction and this meant that wind was hit me side on. This made riding particularly difficult. It was even more of a problem when I was passed by big trucks. They caused a mini ‘wind shadow that sucked me towards them, irrespective as to whether they were coming towards me or from behind. I soon learned that it was between to stop when they were passing.

Check out the video of the winds blowing through some poplar trees.

The Federal Hotel

I had made a reservation at the Federal Hotel ‘on-line’. When I arrived at the hotel, I thought I had made a mistake as it was closed and looked derelict. As I was about to call the number of the hotel, the door opened, and bloke appeared. He said, “I assume that you are one I my quests for the evening”. He was the publican.

The publican helped me get my bike into the hotel and showed me to my room. The inside of the hotel was I lot different to the exterior. It obviously been recently refurbished. More on that later.

The publican told that he could offer a very limited range of food, so “you might want to try the café or the bakery”. I took his advice. As it turned out, the café was closed, and the bakery was about to close. I managed to get a pie at the bakery.

The Big Elephant

A feature of the bakery was a large elephant. Check out the photo. This was not something that you would expect in small village on the Monaro. I was told that elephant, who is known as George, was brought to Nimmitabel from Bali by the former owner of the bakery.

Later in the trip, I was told by a bloke in Eden who frequently travels on the Monaro Highway that before George, there was statue of a naked woman at the bakery. Apparently, this statue upset the locals and was taken down.

I like elephants, but is I also like naked women. It is a pity both statues could not be on show.

Old Blokes on Old Bikes

When I returned to the pub, the other guests started to arrive. They were also on bikes, but of the motorised kind.

They were a group of middle aged blokes from the mid north coast of NSW on a tour.
They were riding an assortment of old bikes including a JAP, an Indian, an AJS, a Harley Davidson and some older Japanese bikes. They were characters to say the least. There was some disharmony within the group, particularly when came to splitting the food and drink bill and the end of the night.

It was interesting to chat to some of them about bikes and travel.

The Pub is doing Well

I also had a chat to the publican. He told me that he was from Canberra and took over the pub three years ago. Prior to that, it had been closed for over ten years. He said that he refurnished the bar first, and then a few of the rooms. Over time he has done more work on the place. His busiest time in the in the ski season. Accommodation in the resorts is tight and the demand for accommodation is high in Berridale and Cooma. This a has now spread to Nimmitabel. He offers rooms, some with bunk beds, for only $60 per night. As a result, the place nearly always full booked in the ski season.

Proposed Rail Trail

I noticed a number ‘cut out of bicycles’ in on the building in Nimmitabele. These are part of a campaign for the development of a Rail Trail on the disused rail that runs from Queanbeyan through Cooma, Nimmitabel and on to Bombala.

I am a huge fan of Rail Trails. In fact, this trip will include the Grippsland Rail Trail from Bairnsdale to Orbost. However, it has to be said that the Monaro fairly remote from major population centres. It is likely that funding for the Rail Trail will be difficult to get.

Off to Brown Mountain

After a night in Nimmitabel the next leg of the trip was down the Brown Mountain to Candello.
Flickr Link
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmaT7UUE
Garmin Link
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2498586715